Dell’s Studio XPS 13 is a stylish 13.3-inch notebook that is aimed at the higher-end of the consumer notebook space. The Studio series brings style and improved materials to Dell’s consumer notebook division, marking a clear distinction between it and the Inspirons, which are a step down the ladder. Performance is a priority as well–the XPS name denotes the use of improved components, in this case things like LED backlighting, discrete graphics, and a slot-loading optical drive. The Studio XPS 13 is Dell’s most direct competition to the 13-inch MacBook Pro.

The Studio XPS 13, which has a starting price of $999 (running either Windows of Ubuntu Linux) was tested at $1409 thanks to a few upgrades to its components. The specifications are:

Intel Core 2 Duo P8600 2.4GHz processor

4GB 2 DIMM DDR3 800MHz RAM

Nvidia GeForce 9500M 256MB graphics with Hybrid SLI

Slot loading dual-layer DVD burner

Dell 1515 Wireless N

320GB 7200RPM disk

13.3-inch WXGA UltraSharp LED-backlit display

Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit

6-cell battery

This is a very solid build for a system that weighs about 4.9 pounds, thanks in no small part to the upgrades. The processor, RAM, graphics, display, and disk all got small bumps making for a computer that is a more competitive than the standard 13.3-incher. And the upgrades, such as the use of the 9500M instead of Nvidia’s 9400M or using 4GB of RAM instead of 3GB, won’t make a huge difference but the sum total of them all (including the better processor and the use of a 7200RPM disk instead of a 5400RPM one) means that the notebook has more power than you might expect. The Studio XPS 13 carries with it price premium over most consumer notebooks, this is balanced out by the components.

The exterior of the system has a full-range of connections, just as you would expect from any performance leaning system. There is ExpressCard, Firewire, a powered USB-eSATA combo port, a lock port, VGA-out, ethernet, another USB slot, DisplayPort, HDMI, an SD/MMC/MS card reader, dual headphone jacks, and a microphone jack. The system also has a 1.3MP webcam. Some details people should note are: there is touch-sensitive button strip above the keyboard to eject optical discs as well trigger media commands, there is no hardware radio on/off switch, and that there are only two USB slots. The dual headphones jacks are a cool and potentially useful bonus, but even more useful is a fill-level indicator built into the battery.

All of this fits in a handsome package that is under an inch thick at the front (and about to 1.4-inches thick at the rear because of its angled design). The system is put together quite nicely–it’s clearly more sturdy than an entry-level consumer notebook, it has gorgeous metal hinges, it has a metal base complete with stylized vents, and a solid overall feel. The lid has a leather strip (for grip, and just because it’s cool), a metal strip, and then glossy black plastic on the rest of it. The look is completed with white LEDs, touch-sensitive media controls, a backlight keyboard, and an edge-to-edge glass display. Overall, there is a style to spare and the system does not feel like your standard consumer system. As far a build quality goes, everything seems very nice; perhaps leaning a bit more towards form than function, but it seems sturdy enough to hold up.

Aside from aesthetic appeal, the Studio XPS 13 is quite usable. The keyboard is roomy and uses a key design similar to that found on the old Sony SZ Premium. The key design along with a predictable key layout make for a good typing experience. Plus they keyboard is backlit which looks very cool, and is functional as well. The trackpad is too small and the keys are mushy, as opposed to clicky, but this is not a major issue. The real standout though is the LED-backlit display, which looks great at high brightness levels and is usable down to the very lowest brightness levels (depending on your conditions). Not everyone will like the gloss, but it looks great when glare is not an issue and really makes the image seems that much more crisp.

The performance of the Studio XPS 13 was better than we’ve come to expect from from a 13-inch system. Of course, being part of the XPS line should have been a clue that the system would be able to do more than just run Vista. The P8600 with 4GB of RAM and the 9500M discrete graphics all combine to do their job rather nicely, and a 7200RPM disk helps out as well. Things felt smooth during both media playback and desktop use, and benchmarking confirmed this.

But with thinness and relatively powerful components comes heat, and this was a problem for the notebook. The XPS 13 tends to run warm, even during periods of only moderate activity. The cooling fan is not extremely loud, but it is audible, and once it start running the palmrests warmed up and the bottom of the system (especially the back left side) heated up as well. Elevating the rear of the system to get some extra airflow down there helped, but this situation could be a problem if you want to use the notebook on your lap or you need to handle it a lot during operation.

The system’s heat production is a problem, especially when used on something soft, like a couch, which is too bad because the Studio XPS 13 is otherwise a very nice laptop. It just plain feels nice when you are using it–the solid build and cool design sense both really stand out. Plus the design is reinforced by well-placed LED lighting and some actual metal components. The system could be lighter, but it’s angled design feels good when carried and the leather is a nice touch. It will be interesting to see how well the leather stands up over time, but it’s been trouble-free so far (aside from some slight dents from things placed on top of the notebook, but those fade over time).

Another cost for that extra performance is the battery life. It’s great that the system’s battery does not extend from the rear of the notebook, but that leaves users with a less than stellar battery life. Expect to get a bit under three hours of life from it (under mobile working conditions) before that discrete graphics card sucks the battery dry. The good news is that the notebook has a slim, light charger that is less painful to throw in a bag then most of the options out there.

Dell’s Studio XPS 13 is nice notebook, and a good follow-up to a strong system (the Dell XPS M1330). It is not your standard consumer notebook, which users will certainly appreciate and it’s an worthwhile competitor to the MacBook and other stylish consumer offerings. It’s well built and easy on the eyes, but users should watch out for some significant flaws, including: excess heat production, only two USB slots, and a so-so battery life using discrete graphics. Combine these with a price tag that is reasonable, but not cheap, and it’s a system to have second thoughts about. Not necessarily one to skip, but one that isn’t always a clear winner.

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Reader Comments

regulas

Cool, I am glad to see Dell offering Linux as a alternative to Microbloat. I fail to see why they will not offer Linux on the much cheaper (1/2 the price) 13″ inspiron.
Lastly Dell continues to offer Ubuntu 8.1 as their choice for Linux. OK, fair enough but Ubuntu has had version 9.04 out since April of this year. I am running 9.03 right now on a cheap acer, works fine. I know I can just put 9.03 on it but I bet money Dell has done some customizing to the 8.1 version and I do not want to have to deal with doing it to 9.03.
I intend to call Dell and ask these questions. I already know I will not get an answer, or a straight answer.

regulas

correction 9.03 should read 9.04 at least that what my about Ubuntu says I am running right now. I think it released as 9.03 but Ubuntu updates more than MS and Apple combined (rarely need to restart except kernel updates that has happened at least once) I noticed so maybe it has changed to 9.04.

Yuval

I have the studio XPS 13 with WIN7 installed. the model i have is one of their more powerful versions with T9600 CPU 2.8Ghz. I use it for powerful simulations and i Over clock it to 3.3Ghz. YES 3.3Ghz. though it does heat up i do use a cooling pad. I also use a ram drive and run the entire sim software i am using from the high speed DDR3 memory (1067Mhz) it runs perfectly fast and smooth. if you guys have problem with heat then you can change running freq like i do whenever i do not need to run simulations. i change the clock to 2.5Ghz on savemode and i changed the max throttle to 95% so it means it will reach to about 2.4Ghz on max CPU freq. It runs super fast even on that mode without heating too much and the battery lasts much much longer. if you guys need longer battery life you can change the throttle to 85% which will be equivalent to ~2.1Ghz if you fixed the freq to 2.5Ghz. I also use solidworks and it runs smooth and super fast on OC mode.I even OC the GPU from 450Mhz to 700Mhz and and its memory from 1100mhz to 1700mhz. i am very satisfied with this computer. I also recommend to use ready boost with a fast external USB memory , it helps alot with performance.
You can also install eBoostr and add about 256MB of the high speed RAM for purposes of system boosting. if you have total of 4GB of RAM then do not worry and you won’t believe how the system will just fly.

Sheady

I love my studio xps, but have a major problem with the fact that windows vista is not compatible with my video card and that it keeps causing problems with my laptop. I have lost everything on my computer several times and Dell knows about this issue. I asked to be upgraded to windows 7 and was told I would have to pay for it. Dell knew when they sold this model computer that vista wasn’t compatible with the nivida video card. I am not asking for a new computer, all I want is for them to step up and fix a problem they already knew existed.